ART Talk Blog

A love of the unusual inspired a German artist to create profound and admired work

9/28/2014

Merian's admiration for entomology led to the collection and deep study of insects as a child. She was a keen and excited observer looking to discover new knowledge. This approach yielded tremendous new information about the insect world that would later evolve into what some consider her masterpiece, Metamorphosis Insectorum Surinamensium. This work documented insects from Surinam, a Dutch Colony, in their full life cycle. It helped clarify the delicate process of metamorphosis. The work features a plate illustrating stages of Cocytius antaeus, otherwise known as the Giant Sphinx. Another example of her ability to artistically combine plants and insects is plate 52 titled citrus sinensis. In this piece, Merian illustrated a butterfly in mid landing on a branch with an orange. She had an artistic eye that could create an image of a natural habitat in motion.

Merian married an apprentice of her stepfather in 1665. His name was Johann Andreas Graff. They would eventually have two daughters, Johanna Helena and Dorothea Maria Graff. Both girls learned to paint under the tutelage of their talented parents. Merian divorced Graff in 1692 and moved with her daughters to Amsterdam. It was Amsterdam that later sponsored her trip to Surinam. What she observed there culminated in the aforementioned Metamorphosis Insectorum Surinamensium or Insects of Surinam.

Merian's work continued throughout her life, even after becoming partially paralyzed by a stroke. She died in Amsterdam in 1717, but her legacy endures. Her work is still reproduced and collected by art lovers and entomology fans alike. Merian's face was featured on the German stamp in 1987 as part of a Women in German History series. Some of her pieces can still be found on exhibit in art galleries and museums. In 2008 the Getty Center in Orange County, California featured Merian and her daughters in a 2008 exhibition to share her unique and eye-catching familial works with the world. In 2013 Google honoured Merian on what would have been her 366th birthday with a Google Doodle, a modified logo created by Google for special occasions and holidays. Today, the collections acquired by Peter the Great after Merian's death are in St.Petersburg for academic purposes.

When we think of flying insects, spiders, and beetles our first instinct might be to call the local pest control company to exterminate those creepy crawlers! What if we could look beyond that compulsion and make an effort to embrace what others might see? One artist in particular created enduring works of beauty from the study of entomology for the world to learn from and appreciate for centuries.

From her birth in 1647, artist Maria Sibylla Merian's future could appear predetermined. She was born in Frankfurt into the family of Matthaus Merian, a Swiss engraver and publisher. Sadly, when Merian was just three years old her father passed away. As fate would have it, she didn't have to look far to find a new mentor. Her mother soon married Jacob Marrel, an artist and art dealer. Marrel was trained by still life artist Georg Flegel. With so much talent to guide her it is no surprise that by age 28 she had already published her first book of natural illustrations titled Neues Blumenbuch. This publication contained colorful and detailed floral engravings. It was unique for its time because the engravings are not simply individual flowers. As a pioneering entomologist who didn't shy away from observing bugs up close, she combined foliage with various insects such as butterflies, worms, and other creepy crawlers that come to mind. Her combination of self-taught knowledge and artistic talent allowed for a more organic result in her engravings. Her scientifically accurate detail garnered respect and credibility in the world of entomology and is still revered today.

London and The Growth of the Art Scene

9/9/2014

Guest Author Ken Laing
London is one of the best cities in the world when it comes to celebrating the arts. From museums to architecture to music to fashion it is all there.Visual arts in London is really pretty amazing. Whenever you think of visual arts or you see an article discussing art in general the three cities that are always mentioned on London, Paris, New York with good reason.

A commitment to the arts such that London has means that you can expect to be excited because you know that there is something “new” and happening always going on. Whether it is the newest gallery opening or a traveling exhibition being featured at the new Whitechapel Gallery (that recently underwent a 13 million pound renovation and expansion) there is something for everyone that appreciates art in London.

The New Commitment
While the economy was sagging a bit across London the visual art scene was flourishing. Even with some budget cuts the visual art scene has taken off. The financial support that was long withheld for the arts took a turn around and it seems it has paid off nicely.
Even with economic recession looming the visual art scene in London was simply bustling. Whether you are a creative designer looking for ideas or someone who likes art, London has now become the go to place for auctions of the visual arts. The art movement in London has slowly crept across the city like a blanket of moss. Galleries that were once relegated to the cheaper rents have spread across the city to the higher rent areas thanks to a very busy international market.

The YBA
A few decades ago a group of young artists gathered to create a push for the London art scene the Young British Artists started a movement to get people more interested in the visual arts in London. This very hip collection of artists drew international interest in their work and helped to put the East End on the map.
The East End is still very much the epicenter of the art scene in London with at last count about 50 galleries. While there has been some movement of some of the galleries over to the West End it does seem for every gallery owner that leaves there is a new eager artist waiting to snatch up the property and open his own.
The spread of the visual art scene in London does not seem to have slowed up and is predicted to continue to grow exponentially!

http://www.design2work.net/

Can balloon art be political? One Israeli artist thinks so.

8/7/2014

Artist Zivi Kivi is using balloons to stand up and take a stand against Hamas and the tactics they use to get their point across. Here is what he had to say.

"My name is Zivi Kivi, a Certified Balloon Artist from Israel. Normally, I use my art as entertainment for kids and families, but lately we are under missile fire from Gaza and a war is forced on this country. Over 80% of the population in Israel are forced to live in fear from Hamas rockets that terrorize us and the tunnels that cross between Gaza and Israel have become attack tunnels. The fight back is not only taking a toll on us, but as well on Palestinians, with human casualties for us all. If that wasn't bad enough, Hamas is using civilians as human shields, including helpless babies.

I have decide to take a stand and use balloons as a medium to pass on a political message about Hamas. My message is simple, "It is wrong to use human shields, and especially the defenceless babies". Doing so makes them terrorists, and the world needs to know.

The advantage for using this medium (balloons) for portraying terrorists is very clear. You can look at the balloon sculpture of the terrorist holding a baby and a gun, and feel relatively safe. Even when the balloon pops or explodes, you can feel safe. Not so with the real soldiers.

Please read my original blog post, and view pictures and read about the concept of "the balloon test". Basically, balloons are supposed to be fun and happy. But when the represented form is of a terrorist the results is opposite.
http://www.blog.zivikivi.co.il/balloonsartist/balloon-test-another-approach-consider-sides-conflict-hamas-israel-balloon-art-reflects-reality/
Someday, I hope to use balloons only to make people happy, and that the peace will come back very soon."

The Bohemian Life Of Renaissance Artists: Fra Filippo Lippi

7/20/2014

We often don’t know much about the daily life of artists in Renaissance Florence but that doesn’t mean life wasn’t captivating back then.

For a story of an artist, we go way back to about 1430, the time of Cosimo de Medici and the setting up of the great Medici bank in Florence. The influence that the Medici family had on art and culture has made their name a byword for enlightened patronage. One of the early artists the Medici’s sponsored was Fra Filippo Lippi.

Lippi, the son of a butcher, was put into a monastery when, at 15, he was deemed impossible to handle by the aunt who was caring for him.

As a brother - not a very pious one, it seems - Lippi saw the great artist Masaccio at work on his frescoes on the walls of the Brancacci Chapel.

He also was influenced by the magnificent Donatello, whose lovely bronze David is one of the very early works of art in which the Medici had a helping hand.

Lippi's talents produced luminous art, pictured with a delicacy of line and naturalness of expression that prefigures Botticelli.

Lippi's wickedness, on the other hand, produced nothing but trouble for his patron, Cosimo de' Medici, who had to resort to locking the artist up to get commissions completed, but Lippi would always escape -- sometimes down the legendary knotted sheet rope -- and go off looking for trouble.

When he was commissioned to paint an altarpiece for the nuns at a church outside Florence, he persuaded them to let him use a 19-year-old nun as a model for the Madonna -- and yes, she was pregnant within a few months, and artist and model had to flee the scandal.

But Lippi’s is just one of the artists of the Quattrocento and getting a glimpse into the life of the artists of the era is invaluable.

The First Significant Olympic art Competition

6/23/2014

Written by Lyxol
The Olympic Games is the field where arts and sports join successfully to highlight the human body and mind. Known since the ancient times they became a global event in nowadays.
The creator of the modern Olympic Games, Pierre de Coubetain dreamed to make an art competition as part of the Olympic Games. Gold, silver and bronze medals were to be assigned to artistic works of architecture, literature, music, painting or sculpture. The artistic works had to be inspired by sport.

Controversies
This initiative has sparked many controversies, the main one regarding the participants in art competition. While the Olympic sports competitors were amateurs the Olympic arts ones were professionals and that was in contradiction with the Olympic concept.
This event took place in parallel with the sport competition starting with 1912 Summer Olympic Games of Sweden. Only 35 artists competed at that time, but were awarded medals in all five artistic categories.

Competitions
The first significant Olympic art competition was at Paris edition in 1924 when 193 artists participated.
This kind of art events took place until 1954 when Olympic Committee decided to change the competition in an art exhibition taking place at every summer Olympic Games because of the reason mentioned above.
During the years, when both sport and art Olympics took place together, were created wonderful art works and many artists gathered as competitors or members of jury. The most famous jury members were Selma Lagerlöf and Igor Stravinsky.

Architecture was involved in two ways. One way regards the works entered in the competition as the “Olympic Stadium Design” of Jan Wils that was awarded with golden medal in 1928 edition. Another way regards the designs and buildings of many sports complex dedicated to Olympic events that are architectural masterpieces. Spectacular works as “Bird Nest of Beijing” and the Velodrome or Aquatic Center of London are only few examples.

The literature Olympic competition was split in different categories but the requirement was that they must have maximum 20000 words and no matter the language of writer, they had to present an English or French version.

Josef Suk was the only musician that won a silver medal in 1932.

As regards the painting, in 1928 two categories were accepted: drawings and paintings. After successive changes, the final edition of Olympic arts included three categories: art and crafts, engravings/ etchings and oil/water colours.
Jean Jacoby is the only artist with two gold medals in this field.

Sculpture started with a single category before 1928 and was changed in one competition for statues and one for reliefs and medals.

As a review, the most successful Olympic artists along all the competitions were:

Jean Jacoby (painter) with two gold medals in 1924 – Étude de Sport and 1928 – Rugby;
Alex Diggelman (applied art&craft )– gold in 1936 (poster Arosa/Placard) and bronze in 1948 (commercial poster);
Josef Petterson (writer) – silver medals in 1924, 1932 and 1948.

Special category: the athletes artists.

The Hungarian Alfred Hajós winner in both sport and art Olympic – two gold medals as swimmer in 1896 and silver for Stadium Architecture Design in 1924;
Walter Winaus (American) – gold and silver in marksman in running deer competition in 1908 and 1912 and gold medal for sculpture “An American Trotter”

A Visit to the Louvre

6/19/2014

The Louvre is known throughout the world and is often regarded as perhaps the greatest art museum in existence. In addition to its fantastic and diverse array of art and ancient treasures, the Louvre is equally well-known for its architectural beauty and historical significance. Once part of an even larger palace complex, today the Louvre receives millions of visitors every year. In fact, it is the most-visited museum in the world. If you have any interest in art or history, a visit to the Louvre should be included on your list of things to do in Paris.

The Louvre is located in the real heart of Paris on the right bank of the Seine. It is easily accessed from anywhere in the city via the Paris metro or the bus system. You are very likely to be near the museum as you see other sites in the city, so a visit to the Louvre can easily be worked into your itinerary. The real trouble is the vast size of the palace. With tens of thousands of objects on display, you could spend many days roaming the Louvre, but the museum of course offers maps, brochures, guides, and special exhibits to help you make your way through the collection.

One of the most famous objects in Louvre is da Vinci’s Mona Lisa, always popular with visitors. The area that houses the Mona Lisa is often busy, but it is worth it to take the time to get close to the mysterious portrait. This gallery area is also filled with equally beautiful and intriguing paintings from artists that span the centuries.

Ancient objects make up a large portion of the Louvre’s collection. On your visit you can see sculptures, paintings, carvings, and other items from the Near East, the Mediterranean, China, and more. The famous early legal document the Code of Hammurabi is housed here, and of course there is the Venus di Milo, probably a sculpture of Aphrodite, carved in Ancient Greece.

Contemporary Art and more

Many people do not know that Louvre also houses a good deal of contemporary art work. Such displays are often special exhibitions, so be sure to check ahead in the months before your visit to see if something special interests you.

As you leave, you can head to the nearby Tuileries Gardens and enjoy a stroll or a lunch just as hundreds of Parisians and tourists do each day. Stop by the Louvre at night to see the glow of the lights against the walls of the former palace. The modern sculpture that houses the entrance to the museum, the Louvre Pyramid of glass and metal, also shines beautifully.

Consider buying your tickets in advance. This saves time, but these types of tickets must be picked up from special store locations, not at the museum itself. The Louvre is closed on Tuesdays, but it is open until the evening on the other days of the week. If you will be visiting during a holiday, be sure to check ahead of time. As with most attractions in Paris, it is busiest in the summer months. The museum offers a mall, several gift shops, and dining options to make your visit complete.

Key West Has A Vigorous Art Scene

4/7/2014

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South Coast

Guest Post by Dan Merritt

Offering excellent weather and thousands of visitors daily all year long, Key West, Florida attracts artists and buyers that would make most cites green with envy. Flourishing in both two and three dimensional works of art, it offers over 45 galleries to choose from in the lower keys.

The largest part of the art represented is seascape of one type or another. It is after all a small island, claiming only about 8 squares miles of land and is home to about 25,000 people. As a tropical paradise there are also many beautiful spots, flowers, animals and interesting people, so you will also find an abundance of other subjects such as figures, still life, abstract, and fantasy art.

With so many different galleries to choose from in one small area, and with prices ranging from many thousand of dollars to just around $30 it is a buyers dream. For the higher end you may want to check out Key West Art Gallery, Wyland Gallery of Key West, and James Coleman Gallery. For more modest prices, Island Style Gallery, Key West Art Center, and Guild Hall Gallery. As an artist you have many opportunities to find a niche that works for you.

By far the largest market most often sold is for two dimensional art pieces that are of a size that they can readily be carried home in the buyer's luggage. Of course, most galleries large and small, high price or low, will ship for a reasonable fee.

Waterfront

Key West also offers a daily 'Sunset Festival', from about an hour before to about an hour after sunset. The large waterfront area known as Mallory Square, is turned over to performing artists and photographers, painters and printmakers to show and sell their wares. This just may be the place to pick up a wonderful and unique memento of your journey.

The Sunset Festival board governs who and what is allowed to be there and the artists and performers pay a small daily fee for their spot. There is no fee for spectators, the entertainers perform for tips, and the visual artists sell their paintings, prints, and photographs for any price they see fit. Basically it is a juried art fair every night. If you produce works that can sell for the prices that this market will bear ($10 to $50), then the 'Festival' is and excellent opportunity to pick up $500 or $600 a week, for a few hours selling time 4 or 5 days a week.

There are many artists of all stripes already in the area. If you are thinking of Key West as a place you would like to live, work and sell your art, I would recommend throughly researching likely markets before making the move and find out all the rules of the co-ops or galleries that would seem to fit your work. A room with a bath averages about $1000 a month, so it's not cheap, but if you create top quality work you can easily make living expenses. Other jobs are available as well, but think minimum wage when you are calculating your costs.

You may want to consider Stock Island as an alternative place to live to lower your costs. A vehicle will probably be necessary, or at least a bicycle to get you to the Sunset Festival and downtown art galleries. Public transit is available, but spotty at best.

Southern Pourch

All in all Key West can be a very pleasant place to create and sell all types of art, whether you are a well established artist or just trying to break into the market and build a name for your work.

The Florida Keys are an unusual area for the United States. Being the only truly tropical place in the country gives them a different prospective. And being hundred miles down at the end a single road that passes over dozens of islands gives Key West a feeling all its own.

For many years it has intrigued artists. The weather is fine most of the time and offers strong southern light that will change your pallet and your artists eye. Many famous people have made Key West home for at least awhile. John Audubon, Ernest Hemingway, and even presidents like Truman, Kennedy, and Clinton have chosen to spend a good deal of time here. Art of one form or another, has been a major attraction for decades, and is not slowing down any time soon.

A proudly 'eccentric' lifestyle has developed over the years and may just be the place to get your creative juices flowing.

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Art Can Be a Mystical Experience

2/24/2014

Art speaks to me in a way that sooths my soul. Whisperings quietly to my inner self, allowing my senses and imagination to walk hand in hand with creation. Art can be a mystical experience for both the creator and the viewer. If you are fortunate to own a painting that gives you this entangled energy, you are blessed with a pleasure that is difficult to describe to those who have not walked this path.

I suspect that this is partly the reason so many are drawn to international art shows such as the Artists Project in Toronto. If you missed it, an opportunity was lost to see work and meet the artists who created it. The artists speak of the creation energy that compelled them to put brush to canvas. They have experienced the mystery of creation, and interpreted it for you, expressing it so elegantly in a visual form.

Anya Droug interprets personal sequence of episodes; segments; moments that are otherwise ordinary and could pass by unnoticed and places them on canvas. People, emotions and objects experienced and explored on her journeys are analyzed through her work. A sculpture, a fragment of architecture, a person glimpsed on the street.

www.anyadroug.com

Jennifer Zeitz is an artist who lives and works in Toronto, Canada, who recently showed at the Artist Project. Her works in red stopped me in my tracks. I had to pause and immerse myself in the luscious pallet she has chosen. She has an entire series of painting titled “Red” which in case you haven’t noticed yet, is the color of this article.

www.jenniferzeitz.com

Dage is exclusively dedicated to her painting. Her work is the result of a quest. Her paintings are studies and experiments of her attempts to capture the elusive; energy. She tries to capture the essence of life, the energy that lies within us. Her subjects are also selected based on the emotion and energy that emanate from them.

www.dagearts.com

Jodi Shuster has a passion for color. Her love of movement and gesture found expression and sustenance from countless hours of life drawing. Her paintings combine these elements, with the gestural strokes expressing her joy and spontaneous reaction to the subject.

www.jodishuster.com

Suzanne Burden works with Red, one of her favorite colors. She boldly states “it creates conflicts within me between my judgement and my self-confidence. My collection of paintings 'Reds' was born from a desire to imagine myself in a world where red is admired and accepted for only its beauty while exhibiting its spirit and its purpose for the emotions, senses, and feelings.”

www.suzanneburden.ca

Next time you come across a chance to view art first hand, and meet the artists, take it. You may just experience the sublime. When you come across a work of art that demands your attention, stop and spend time with it. Talk to the artist to gain the insight you so desperately want. Art connects us in ways like nothing else.

Inspiration from Steve Jobs

1/25/2014

“Your time is limited, so don’t waste it living someone else’s life. Don’t let the noise of others’ opinions drown out your own inner voice. And most important, have the courage to follow your heart and intuition. Everything else is secondary.” - Steve Jobs

The Creative Mind

11/15/2013

Creative people need a community where they feel like they belong. A group of like-minded individuals who live a similar life style, with similar views of the world.

The best advice ever given to me, came in two steps.
1) Know who you are first. The real you. This is essential before you can move forward.
2) Find your tribe, a group you don't have to explain to. People who will accept you for who you are and will love that you are doing what you do.